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Sputter Deposition of Semiconductor Superlattices for Thermoelectric Applications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

Andrew V. Wagner ,
Ronald J. Foreman ,
Joseph C. Farmer  and
Troy W. Barbee Jr
Andrew V. Wagner
Affiliation:
Chemistry and Materials Science Department, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
Ronald J. Foreman
Affiliation:
Chemistry and Materials Science Department, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
Joseph C. Farmer
Affiliation:
Chemistry and Materials Science Department, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
Troy W. Barbee Jr
Affiliation:
Chemistry and Materials Science Department, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
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Abstract

Theoretical dramatic improvement of the thermoelectric properties of materials by using quantum confinement in novel semiconductor nanostructures has lead to considerable interest in the thermoelectric community. Therefore, we are exploring the critical materials issues for fabrication of quantum confined structures by magnetron sputtering in the lead telluride and bismuth telluride families of materials. We have synthesized modulated structures from thermoelectric materials with bilayer periods of as little as 3.2 nm and shown that they are stable at deposition temperatures high enough to grow quality films. Issues critical to high quality film growth have been investigated such as nucleation and growth conditions and their effect on crystal orientation and growth morphology. These investigations show that nucleating the film at a temperature below the growth temperature of optimum electronic properties produces high quality films. Our work with sputter deposition, which is inherently a high rate deposition process, builds the technological base necessary to develop economical production of these advanced materials. High deposition rate is critical since, even if efficiencies comparable with CFC based refrigeration systems can be achieved, large quantities of quantum confined materials will be necessary for cost-competitive uses.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 450: Symposium O – Infrared Applications of Semiconductors , 1996 , 467
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1997

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References

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